Top 20 Catchiest Songs from Modern Movie Musicals
#20: “Love Thy Neighbor”
“The Prom” (2020)
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After Emma basically gets stood up by the entire school at prom, Juilliard graduate, Trent, doubles down on his efforts to bash prejudices and rally support for an inclusive prom. He launches into this joyous and upbeat song that kindly calls out the hypocrisy of those who “cherry-pick” their beliefs, whilst ignoring the golden rule. Giving gospel a musical theater makeover, it’s impossible not to find this tune utterly charming. Even the reluctant teens find themselves swayed by the catchy beat and positive message. This song is so uplifting, that we just want to get up and dance whenever we hear it.
#19: “Drive It Like You Stole It”
“Sing Street” (2016)
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When his family is hit by hard times, Connor transfers to an inner-city school where he initially struggles to fit in. However, to impress his crush, Raphina, he decides to start a band. Their music often reflects the highs and lows of teenage life but, there’s this one song that never fails to get stuck in our heads. Connor’s plan for the music video takes inspiration from “Back to the Future”, combining this quintessentially 80s rhythm with a 50s style dance party. The music is so infectious that you’ll constantly find this jam popping into your head long after you finish the movie.
#18: “Impossible”
“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” (1997)
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There have been many adaptations of “Cinderella” over the years, but this one has to be one of the most iconic. The whole soundtrack is phenomenal but there’s nothing we love more than this duet sung by legends, Brandy and Whitney Houston. It’s not just the infectious melody that we adore but also the strong sentiment of empowerment behind the lyrics. The movie was considered groundbreaking for casting women of color as its protagonists. And now, here they were telling audiences, especially young children of color, that nothing is impossible. And sung through a song that was guaranteed to linger in our minds.
#17: “A Cover Is Not the Book”
“Mary Poppins Returns” (2018)
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Whether or not you viewed this movie as a proper sequel to the 1964 Disney classic, it certainly had big shoes to fill - especially when it came to the music. Whilst the OG had songs like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Step in Time,” this movie delivered the goods with songs like “A Cover Is Not the Book”. Sung in a bouncy music-hall style, we love how this number revives the cheeky sense of humor from the original, not to mention those animated animals. The song rekindled the magic and wonder we initially fell in love with and we simply can’t get enough of it.
#16: “Get’cha Head in the Game”
“High School Musical” (2006)
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After Troy finds himself conflicted between basketball and auditioning for the school musical, he gives himself this musical pep talk. The song combines both his passions and, ingeniously incorporates the sounds of bouncing basketballs and squeaking sneakers into the music too. It’s the ideal pre-game hype track that will definitely get stuck in your head. After all, who among us hasn’t been inspired to flex our own basketball skills whilst listening to this song? But if dancing with basketballs is a little beyond your skill set, you can still easily dance along to the equally catchy final number, “We’re All In This Together”.
#15: “One”
“A Chorus Line” (1985)
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All it takes is for someone to say the word “one” and this song instantly pops into our minds. After getting to know these characters throughout the duration of the movie, the final song brings both “sweetness and sorrow”. Their individuality fades away as they come together in the chorus line but, we simply can’t get enough of this glitzy, glamorous and uptempo number. As they say in the biz, the show must go on, and, with smiles on their faces, they treat us to one of the most entertaining finales in movie musical history. Also, we just can’t resist a good kickline.
#14: “Fame”
“Fame” (1980)
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If you’re anything like us, you only need to hear the first beat of this song and you’re instantly on your feet. There’s just something so energetic and joyous about this tune that you can’t help but get swept up in its rhythm. Even the characters can’t resist it, literally stopping traffic to bust out their best moves in the street. “Fame” won a Golden Globe and Oscar for “Best Original Song” and was even nominated for a Grammy. Fun fact: the actors are actually dancing to Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” since the title track wasn’t yet finished and the two share a similar beat.
#13: “Elephant Love Medley”
“Moulin Rouge!” (2001)
Why sing just one love song when you can sing 10? But this wasn’t always the plan for this unforgettable number. Initially, Satine was meant to sing, “What’s Love Got To Do with It?”, whilst Christian would argue back with, “Higher Love”. Whilst lyrically this worked perfectly, it just wasn’t as captivating. The team worked their way through many songs until finally coming up with a medley that we just can’t help but sing along to. This one scene combines some of our favorite love ballads against the stunning and ever so romantic backdrop of Paris. What more could you possibly want?
#12: “La Vie Bohème”
“Rent” (2005)
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In this musical based on Puccini’s “La Bohème,” the gang comes together to celebrate the Bohemian lifestyle, “going against the grain” and breaking taboos. This movie was intended to be the “Hair” of its generation and this song, in particular, was likened to “Manchester, England”. Both songs share fast-paced lyrics and plenty of popular culture references, all to a tune that you just want to sing out loud. At its heart, this song is about unapologetically celebrating who you are. And, surely we can’t be the only RentHeads out there who dreamed of jumping on tables together to recreate this scene with our friends too?
#11: “One Night Only”
“Dreamgirls” (2006)
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After hearing Effie White’s breathtaking vocals on this soul ballad, Curtis steals it and jazzes it up. It’s then performed by Deena Jones and the Dreams, and the two versions battle it out in the charts. We love both renditions but, if we’re talking about the catchiest number, then we just have to give the disco version the edge. The song was popular both in the movie’s realm and in real life, entering the US Billboard’s “Hot Dance Club Songs” chart, where it peaked at no.13. In fact, this song is such a hit that it’s even been covered by multiple artists around the globe.
#10: “Seize the Day”
“Newsies” (1992)
This movie was considered a critical flop upon initial release. But it has since become a cult classic and even inspired a Broadway musical, thanks in part to its awesome soundtrack. Whilst, “King of New York” may get us swaying, nothing has us quite as hyped and ready to, well, “Seize the Day” as this number. Davey uses this song to rally the other News Boys to start fighting injustice. The rousing melody fills us with excitement and their acrobatic performance has us captivated. This is the perfect hype song and the one that always enters our head whenever we need a positive boost.
#9: “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)”
“Jersey Boys” (2014)
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We can guarantee that most of the songs in “Jersey Boys” will have you hurting yourself trying to do your best Frankie Valli impression, whether it’s scream-singing “Sherry” or doing imaginary microphone choreography to “Can't Take My Eyes Off You.” (xref) But for our money, nothing gets stuck in one’s head more than some good “Do do do do do”s. “December, 1963” gives everyone that “dance number in the street” fantasy, complete with finger snaps, snappier suits, and a sense of nostalgia. Like with any catchy song, you’ll be able to catch onto the lyrics if this is your first listen, but we can promise it won’t be your last.
#8: “Life’s a Happy Song”
“The Muppets” (2011)
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This song is guaranteed to put a skip in your step. Written by Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie, this Critics’ Choice Award-winning song always puts a smile on our faces. It’s uplifting, bubby, and utterly charming. It perfectly balances appeasing musical theater lovers, whilst still affectionately sending up the genre. Gary and Walter dance their way through Smalltown, joined by seemingly all of its residents. Together, they sing about how happiness is anything from a piece of cake to a filet of fish. Just when you think you’ve got the song out of your head, we’re hit with the finale reprise, but who’s complaining?
#7: “Another Day of Sun”
“La La Land” (2016)
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The movie’s opening number takes inspiration from classic Golden Era movie musicals but, with a modern and fresh twist. We’re introduced to a group of showbiz hopefuls who dream about one day seeing their name up in lights. They instantly sweep us away into this world of escapism through this upbeat showstopper. It’s a joyful and dazzling number that brightens up LA’s infamous gridlock traffic. And they actually did close part of the freeway to shoot this scene. No one likes being stuck in traffic, but you might mind a little less if a full-on upbeat song and dance spectacle suddenly broke out around you.
#6: “Little Shop of Horrors”
“Little Shop of Horrors” (1986)
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Speaking of awesome opening numbers, this one has to be one of our favorites. Chiffon, Ronnette, and Crystal, who are inspired by “The Supremes”, serve as our narrators and provide some exposition with this rather infectious tune. Alan Menken, who wrote the soundtrack, described the title song as one that “really captures the tone and establishes the DNA of Little Shop. And though it “may not have been the most ambitious number in the score,” we think he nailed it as it really builds the excitement and anticipation for the action that’s about to unfold. There’s just something so brilliant about how this upbeat and lively song is actually a warning for dark things up ahead. We’re still humming this one long after the credits roll.
#5: “That’s How You Know”
“Enchanted” (2007)
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“Enchanted” parodies the Disney musical genre and nothing is a greater send-up of some of our favorite tropes than this Academy-Award-nominated song. Giselle sings about sweeping romantic gestures and amazingly everyone in Central Park joins in, almost as if it was pre-rehearsed. The tune evokes the utmost joy, whilst still taking a tongue-in-cheek dig at the genre. Even Robert finds himself swept up by the music. Fun fact: this scene somewhat inspired the movie’s title, due to how effortlessly Giselle is able to enchant those around her. The movie’s director, Kevin Lima called it an” explosion of joy” and we couldn’t agree more.
#4: “The Greatest Show”
“The Greatest Showman” (2017)
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With so many incredible choices on this soundtrack, it’s almost impossible to single out just one song. Still, we decided to go with the opening number, although, “From Now On” was a worthy runner-up. Barnum’s soft singing at the start, backed by the audience’s stomping, already has us gripped and, as the song builds, our excitement only continues to grow. This song is so exhilarating and joyful that they reprise it for the finale and it’s just as invigorating as the first time. After watching this number, you don’t need to tell us twice that this truly is “The Greatest Show”.
#3: “Dancing Queen”
“Mamma Mia!” (2008) & “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (2018)
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ABBA sure knows how to write a catchy tune. “Dancing Queen” in particular, is so enthralling that in both movies it’s used to cheer up our protagonists and leads to an island-wide party. In the first movie, Donna and her friends captivate the attention of the other women on the island with this fun number. And in the sequel, the song introduces boatloads of party-goers who are headed to Kalokairi for the villa’s grand re-opening. On both occasions, the number inspires everyone to unleash their inner dancing queens. The song practically demands that we have the time of our lives and we’re happy to oblige.
#2: “All That Jazz”
“Chicago” (2002)
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It was a close call between “All That Jazz” and “Cell Block Tango”. But there’s nothing quite like the rush you get when you first hit play on this Grammy Award-winning soundtrack. The sudden change of tempo as the song begins has us instantly gripped. And we’re in for a treat as this tune does exactly what its title suggests. Starting slow, sultry, and seductive, we’re instantly hooked. And as the adjacent action becomes more animated, so does the music. By the time it hits its crescendo, we just can’t resist belting our hearts out and showing off our best Fosse moves too.
#1: “You Can’t Stop the Beat”
“Hairspray” (2007)
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From the first beat of “Good Morning Baltimore,” this feel-good movie is packed to the brim with top-tapping and head-bopping moments. “Welcome to the 60s” is an obvious contender as is “Run and Tell That”. But the songwriters left the best for last with this epic grand finale. The song uses an infectious rhythm and invigorating lyrics to celebrate the changing times as well as self-acceptance. It’s the epitome of a showstopper and everything about it makes us want to get up and dance. This catchy melody won’t leave your head in a hurry. Well, like the song says, you really can’t stop the beat.
